— Midtown
Midtown (www.houstonmidtown.com) is Houston’s pedestrian-oriented urban community uniquely positioned in the heart of the city. Situated directly between downtown and the Texas Medical Center, Midtown is a logical choice for a residential area to serve the two largest employment centers in the region with more than 200,000 jobs. There are also five colleges and universities nearby with combined enrollments of more than 50,000. Midtown is a good location for faculty, staff and student housing for these institutions.

— Montrose
A popular neighborhood among artists and creative folk is the Montrose area, which is bounded on the north by Buffalo Bayou. The area includes the Houston Museum District and many restaurants, eclectic boutiques and small galleries, which provide a unique flavor to the area. Two-bedroom brick homes characterize the area.

— Near Northside
The historic area is north of downtown and primarily occupied by Hispanics and a growing number of African-Americans. The boundaries of the neighborhood are along Main Street and Lorraine Street to Main and I-45 to Hardy Street. In 2005, Preservation Texas named Near Northside to its list of Texas’ most endangered historic places. Today, METRO is planning an extension of its light rail system through the neighborhood. The proposed expansion could result in the demolition of blocks of historic houses, including properties eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

— Old Spanish Trail/South Union
Old Spanish Trail/South Union is an affordable neighborhood about five miles south of downtown Houston, conveniently located minutes from the campuses of Rice University, the University of Houston and Texas Southern University as well as the Texas Medical Center.

— Reliant Park/South Loop
The Reliant Park area is enjoying a period of expansion and renovation with new restaurants and retailers attracting a growing number of customers. Several new large-scale construction and mass-transit projects are complete, and the area is re-establishing itself as a preeminent entertainment and convention site. Reliant Park is a world-class entertainment and convention center site and home to the NFL’s Houston Texans team. Reliant Park is the home of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the largest indoor rodeo in the world. This event gives millions of dollars annually in scholarship money to thousands of children across the country.

To connect this exciting area to other important areas in Houston, the METRO opened a 7.5-mile light rail system in 2004. It stretches from the north side of downtown to south of Reliant Park. Clean electricity powers this line, eliminating pollution from thousands of bus and car trips. The line offers service between the University of Houston-Downtown, downtown Houston, Midtown, Rice University, the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. This rail line is the spine of a planned region-wide light rail system in Houston.

— River Oaks
River Oaks (www.riveroakshouston.com), one of Houston’s most exclusive residential areas, comprises some 1,100 acres replete with stately white-columned mansions dating to the 1920s. Just three miles west of downtown Houston, River Oaks also enjoys easy access to the Greenway Plaza business district, the Galleria area, the Southwest Freeway, Loop 610 and the Museum District. Comprehensive deed restrictions ensure that the River Oaks area can never be invaded by commercial structures or multifamily housing. Many homes were designed by nationally recognized architects of the era. One such home, “Bayou Bend,” was owned by Ima Hogg, daughter of the one-time Texas governor, James Stephen Hogg. She later donated the magnificent Greek-revival property, along with its extensive collection of early American furniture and antiques, to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

— Second Ward/Magnolia Park
Located in the historic district on the eastern edge of downtown Houston, this area is one of four original wards in Houston that were developed around the 1800s. Today, the Second Ward is known for being an affordable, tight-knit community with one of the largest Hispanic populations in the city. Among other things, residents of the Second Ward enjoy close proximity to Rusk Park and the Buffalo Bayou.

— Southside Place
With a population of 1,500, this small community is situated between the cities of Bellaire and Houston. In 2000, Southside Place (www.ci.southside-place.tx.us) was the 14th wealthiest location in Texas. The bedroom community is home to Royal Dutch Shell’s Bellaire Technology Center as well as numerous businesses and shopping centers lining Bellaire Boulevard. Home prices range from the $550,000s up to $1.5 million.

— West University Place
Founded in 1917, the city of West University Place (www.westu.org) was named for its proximity to Rice University. With attractive homes that hold their value, the community underwent major redevelopment in the 1980s. Neighborhoods are sprinkled with parks and all streets are lined with scenic, aged trees. Located nearby is Rice Village, which has more than 360 stores, including 75 restaurants. The 16-block area has an eclectic mix of unique shops and designer boutiques.